US1818549A

US1818549A - Apparatus and method for spinning fibers in precipitating baths

Info

Publication number: US1818549A
Application number: US348881A
Authority: US
Inventors: Abraham P Furman
Original assignee: THAMES SILK Co
Current assignee: THAMES SILK Co
Priority date: 1929-03-21
Filing date: 1929-03-21
Publication date: 1931-08-11
Anticipated expiration: 1948-08-11

Description

Aug. 11, 1931.

A. P. FURMAN 1,818,549 APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR SPINNING FIBERS IN PRECIPITATING BATHS Filed March 21 1929 IN VEN TOR all Patented Aug. 11, 1931 UNITED STATES r ATE NT orrici:

ABRAHAM I. FURMAN, OF NEW LONDON, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TD THAMES SILK COMPANY, OF NEW LONDON, CONNECTICUT, .A CORPORATION OF ECONNECTICLUT APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR SPINNING FIBERS IN PREGIPITATING BAT-HS Application filed. March 21,1929. Serial No. 348381.

This invention relates to apparatus and methods for spinning fibers in a precipitating bath and has particularly to do with the initial starting or spinning of fibers. Silk, for example may be dissolved in a solution and then precipitated by ejecting the same under pressure from a spinneret into a bath containing an agent capable of precipitating the same. In silk spinning operations considerable difficulty has been experienced in starting the same and also some difficulty, though to a lesser extent, has been experienced in the subsequent clogging of the spinning devices. The herein described method and apparatus has been evolved in an effort to eliminate such troubles and defects and has been successful in practical spinning operations.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevation showin the essential parts of the apparatus in p ace including a container for the precipitating bath (the latter shown in vertical cross-section) Fig. 2 is a crosssectional view illustrating a filter with certain parts in elevation; and

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a spinneret and cap therefor.

Referring to the drawings, particularly to Fig. 1, 2 designates a tank which may be made of any suitable material containing a precipitating bath; 4C a pipe leading from a supply of the fibroin solution or other material to be precipitated under pressure; 6 designates a gear pump which may be connected to a suitable source of power (not shown); and 8 a by-pass with its valve 10 around the pump 6. The pump 6 is connected by means of a pipe 12 to the filter 14, which filter (see Fig. 2) may include alternate layers of suitable woven wire and textile fabric so as to remove from the liquid all traces of foreign matter or solid particles of suflicient size to interfere with the spinning operation. The filter 14 is connected by means of a pipe 16 to the spinneret head, generally designated at 20. The spinneret head also preferably includes an additional filter which may be made up of alternate layers of woven wire and textile of the liquid under "the :hi

fabricso that the material. to be precipitated I A 'is filteredat the 'last possible moment before it is .actually ejected from the spinneret into the bath through the holes 22 Ein'lthe :sp'inneret plate 24, which plate is suitably held by means of :the screw threaded fermile member '26. There Ei-s shown in 'Figs. (l and .3 a 'cap :28 applied to the spinneret head :and connected by a cord 30 to the .top iott the jar 2 so as to be readily available; The cap 28 may b610,fl111bb81-010lill61 suitable material adapted to form a tight joint with the ferrule '26.

The herein described apparatus is zillustrative of apparatus that may be employed :to practice the herein described methods, though it will be :understood that the specific and preferred form "of apparatus may be altered :to practice such method by aequiara- :lent means.

In practice :I :prefer to supply the fihroin solution or :material to be spun at a considerable head of pressure in the pipe 4 and simply employ the gear pump 61182 [metersing device to regulate the normal :flow aotf the liquid from :the spinneret. ln starting the spinning operation with the apparatus as shown, I first place the cap'r28 over the spinneret head and immerse the same with its :pipe filled with :air in the precipitating bath, then the valve 10 :isopened in the pass 8 round the pump so that theliiu ll )fOBCB plied :by means not show n3, for example 40 or :pounds, is allowed to rush around :the

h :pressume (supmeterrngzpumpGa-nd into the line 'l2athereb'y V :rapid'ly building up a considerable *fluid :(liquid or pressure in the =line to the spinneret head 20. This pressure itends to .lift or remove the cap :28, though if :necessary its removal may be vaidetl by ;a gentle tug on the cord 30 so that the spinneret holes 22 are kept {free and clear of the precipitating bath by what may :be termed the pilot fluid, until the fibroin solution :following, itself fills the :holes. Upon the fibroin solution :passing through the holes into the rbathit is at once continuously :precipitated rand Ehardened iinto :fila'inent form andirises to the t'op :oflthe-zbath wvherezit anay v be gathered and reeled. It will be apparent that the pressure need only be sufiicient to prevent the entrance of the precipitating bath into the holes 22, but I prefer to use the suggested pressure in order to prevent any chance of the holes being clogged so as to interfere with the passage of the liquid. But should there be any tendency for the precipitating liquid to enter it is at once blown clear of the holes by reason of the higher pressure of the fluid issuing from the spinneret. Upon the spinning operation being well started, the speed of the pump may be regulated so as to provide the proper rate of flow for the desired spinning speed and the by-pass valve 10 is then shut off so that the normal spinning operation may be carried on. Though I prefer to start the spinning operation by means of the by-pass device as described it will be clear that a similar result may be obtained by a temporary speeding up of the pump 6 so as to provide a relatively high rate of flow of the fluid or air preceding the liquid to be precipitated.

Having described and explained my preferred form of apparatus, the principle thereof, and the best mode in which I have contemplated applying that principle, I claim:

1. The steps in the process of spinning fibers in a precipitating bath which consists in immersing a spinneret in said bath, maintaining the holes in the immersed spinneret clear of said precipitating bath, and then passing the liquid to be precipitated through said spinneret whereby to initiate in said bath the formation of attenuated fibers.

2. The steps in the process of spinning fibers in a precipitating bath which consists in immersing a covered spinneret in said bath, maintaining the holes in the immersed spinneret clear of said precipitating bath, and then passing the liquid to be precipitated through said spinneret whereby to initiate in said bath the formation of attenuated fibers.

3. The herein described method of starting a fiber spinning operation in a precipitating bath which'consists in passing a fluid rapidly through the holes in a spinneret and into said precipitating bath thus preventing the entrance of the bath into said holes, then causing the material to be precipitated to pass rapidly through said holes whereby the spinning operation is initiated and fibers formed, and then spinning said fibers through said holes at a regulated speed suitable for a normal spinning operation.

4. An apparatus for spinning fibers is a precipitating bath having a spinneret, means for covering said spinneret head while immersed in a precipitating bath, means for passing a fluid through the holes